When we lengthen the exhale, we’re better able to find our power and invite a sense of relaxation to high intensity movement. Longer exhales cause the vagus nerve to send a signal to your brain, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and easing the sympathetic nervous system (fight, flight, or freeze).

You’ll find this practice as a web extra to our Guide to Mindful Movement, in the April issue of Mindful magazine—now on newsstands and mindful.org.

Show Notes

More from Georgina Miranda: 

Georginamiranda.com

Georgina Miranda, Author at Mindful

And more from Mindful here:

7 Mindful Movement Practices for Daily Life

The April 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Joyful Movement Issue

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

Even when we’re sitting still, we can sense the movement of nature around us, full of moment-to-moment reminders of the continuous state of growth and life surrounding us. This week, Jeanne Corrigal offers a practice to rest in the movement of nature. You can do this meditation outdoors, or anywhere.

You’ll find this practice as a web extra to our Guide to Mindful Movement, in the April issue of Mindful magazine—now on newsstands and mindful.org.

Show Notes

Find more from Jeanne Corrigal here: 

jeannecorrigal.com

Jeanne Corrigal, Author at Mindful

And more from Mindful here:

7 Mindful Movement Practices for Daily Life

The April 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Joyful Movement Issue

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

There are countless ways we can shift our world for the better—whether it’s volunteering weekly in our communities, engaging someone in a compassionate conversation, joining an activist group, or creating art that envisions what positive change might look like and energizes us to get there. But that’s not the whole story. We need to care for ourselves, too: Healing and replenishing ourselves is part of the healing we wish for others. 

In this seated yoga practice, we cultivate the tools to nurture, strengthen, and give courage to our fearless hearts.

Show Notes

Find more from Boo Boafo here: @holisticlifestyler

And more from Mindful here:

7 Mindful Movement Practices for Daily Life

The April 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Joyful Movement Issue

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

It is easy to feel overwhelmed and confused about how to engage with the world from a place of strength, groundedness, and calm. So, this week, we’re sharing an awareness practice to foster three key insights: clarity of intention; understanding of our power, presence, and impact; and opportunities for wise action-taking. We don’t have to know all the answers. We are simply inviting in reflection and introspection to allow insights and awareness of body and mind to arise. Whatever arises, see if you can meet it with self-compassion and curiosity.

This practice was featured in the February 2023 issue of Mindful as part of an at-home meditation retreat designed for you to take your individual practice into your relationships and your community. You can find the new issue of Mindful on newsstands or on mindful.org.

Show Notes

Find more from Michelle Maldonado here:

lucenscia.com

A Bridge to Better

More from Michelle on mindful.org

And more from Mindful here:

Try This Self-Guided Meditation Retreat for Rest and Restoration

The February 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Healing Burnout Issue

Mindful at Work

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

The Real Mindful Podcast

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

We tend to focus all our love on the people we care about—yet, to connect more deeply with others, we must turn toward the one person we keep on the shortest leash: ourselves. We often reject other people’s care or attention when we believe we don’t deserve it. This practice reminds us that there’s nothing special we must do to deserve love. You are worthy of love simply because you exist.

Show Notes: 

More from Sharon Salzberg here:

sharonsalzberg.com

More from Sharon on mindful.org

And more from Mindful here:

Try This Self-Guided Meditation Retreat for Rest and Restoration

The February 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Healing Burnout Issue

Mindful at Work

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

The Real Mindful Podcast

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

The simple act of questioning the thoughts that shape our reality (especially when they create stress, anger, or frustration) opens the door to living a life with more compassion, ease, and openness to new possibilities. This week, Nate Klemp and Eric Langshur offer a practice (recorded by Mindful editor-in-chief Heather Hurlock) to inquire into our thoughts and unwind from stress.

This practice is featured in the February 2023 issue of Mindful as part of an at-home meditation retreat. The mini-retreat is curated for relief and restoration when you're teetering on the edge of burnout and designed for you to take your individual practice into your relationships and your community.

Show Notes

Find more from Nate Klemp and Eric Langshur here:

Nateklemp.com

Start Here: Mast the Lifelong Habit of Well-beingMore from Nate on mindful.org

More from Eric on mindful.org

And more from Mindful here:

Try This Self-Guided Meditation Retreat for Rest and Restoration

The February 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Healing Burnout Issue

Mindful at Work

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

The Real Mindful Podcast

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

While many of us take stock at the end of a year, and use the fresh page of January to set goals, or make plans, that sense of letting go of what we're caught up in and the habits we've been living through can be an integral part of our everyday mindfulness practice. Each time we sit for a few minutes, there's an opportunity to let go of wherever our minds, attention, and awareness have gotten caught up in, come back, and realign ourselves with our best intentions and efforts. 

As you approach this practise, ask yourself what you'd like to bring to it today. And remember that at any moment, you can realign yourself with your best intentions, recognizing that you may lose touch again and then come back when you do.

Show Notes

Find more from Mark Bertin here:

Mark Bertin, Author at Mindful

developmentaldoctor.com

And more from Mindful here:

The February 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Healing Burnout Issue

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected]

For the month of December we're rounding up our most popular meditations from this year. This week, Rose Felix Cratsley offers affirmations for self-compassion, embracing growth, and healing through hope. She says, “I think mindfulness is an essential and fundamental human right. We come into the world open and curious, but oftentimes self-judgment, criticism, fear, and anxiety come about.” 

Show Notes

Find more from Rose Felix Cratsley here:

Ivy Child International

Rose Felix Cratsley. Author at Mindful

And more from Mindful here:

The Top 10 Guided Meditations of 2022

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected]

For the month of December we're rounding up our most popular meditations from this year. This week, Elaine Smookler offers a practice to help savor the moment by tapping into your senses. 

One morning in early October, Elaine Smookler glanced at her cell phone and noticed the weather app ominously predicting many days of snow and icy temperatures ahead. Life’s challenges were seemingly everywhere. And Elaine was smiling. Cheerful. Grateful. Difficulties were still present, but awareness of her gratitude shifted her view, letting her see that everything was not dark and cold—in fact, many sights and sounds were quite lovely. Cultivate gratitude for life's small delights as you're guided through the senses by Elaine. 

Show Notes

Find more from Elaine Smookler here:

elainesmookler.com 

Read Elaine’s latest Inner Wisdom column in Mindful magazine

More from Elaine on mindful.org

And more from Mindful here:

The Top 10 Guided Meditations of 2022

The February 2023 issue of Mindful magazine: The Healing Burnout Issue

The Gratitude Journal by Mindful

More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation

The Real Mindful Podcast

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

Sometimes we need to drop into our body to discern what we need in this moment. In this episode of 12 Minute Meditation, author and mindfulness teacher Dr. Christopher Willard offers four prompts to help us self-regulate by attending to what our difficult emotions or physical sensations may be telling us, using the acronym H.A.L.T. H is for asking ourselves: Am I hungry right now? A means checking in to see: Am I angry or anxious, or otherwise dysregulated and activated? L stands for lonely: Am I feeling lonely in this moment? And T stands for: Am I tired?

Show Notes:

Find more from Chris Willard here:

drchristopherwillard.com

Chris on mindful.org

And more from Mindful here:

The Top 10 Guided Meditations of 2022

Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].